STEVE Bruce today refused to shy away from the significance of tomorrow's game at Derby County.

STEVE Bruce today refused to shy away from the significance of tomorrow's game at Derby County.

Labelling it as probably as important as the last time his team went there - the pivotal moment in the Championship season for both himself and players - Bruce said Blues would be ready for the challenge.

Yet he stressed that, just three games into the Premier League campaign, it was not the be all and end all either.

"What we've come to know is that there are 38 big games in the Premier League," he said, "but this one is very big.

"Of course, Derby will be looking at it like Sunderland looked at it when they came to us the other week, thinking 'this is the sort of game where we should be taking something'.

"They're yet to get off the mark, we're yet to get off the mark, so you can be sure both of us will be giving it a right good go and I know we will be ready for the challenge.

"So, yes, it's important -probably as important as it was last October, if you believe what the press were telling us."

Stephen Clemence's deflected late winner for a re-shaped Blues kept Bruce in a job - had they lost in the same manner as they did against Norwich City four days previously the axe would have fallen - and triggered a run of 11 wins and a draw from 13 games.

"Things can change quickly in this league," said Bruce. "I remember our third season in when we were finding it tough going and we won four on the trot in December. That took all the shackles off.

"Yes, if we could get a result on Saturday it would be lovely. If we don't, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"We've haven't got the points we would have loved to, but we have been competitive.

"I said from the start that in this league we have to have a squad that's competitive.

"From what I've seen so far, I think we've got a chance. I don't feel as if we're the league whipping boys at all.

"I go back to the first time we were in this division and we went to Arsenal. We lost 2-0 but it could have been 12. Darren Purse cleared about five off the line. The gulf was massive.

"I believe we have a chance to stay in this division."

Mikael Forssell and Johan Djourou should both be fit after injury, but Daniel de Ridder is still not ready.

Derby could give a debut to Eddie Lewis, who joined from Leeds United this week.

Depending on Forssell's calf, Cameron Jerome and Rowan Vine could come into the manager's thoughts and Bruce would have to consider whether to leave out Radhi Jaidi, who was impressive against West Ham United, to accommodate Djourou.